The Washington bee., 1887-02-12
SENATOR INGALLS, APOL-
OGY.

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reasons for the rejection of Re-
corder Matthews is weak, vacil-
lating and trashy; weak in the
promises, vacillatlng in argument
and trashy in detail. The part
we desire to address ourselves
especially to is thai wherein
Frederick Douglass is held up to
President Cleveland as the Moses
Of the colored people. We have
always admired and respected
Mr.. Douglass for the heights
which he has demonstrated posi-
bic for the Negro to reach, and in
discussing him i'll connection with
Senator Ingalls, letter we purpose
to deal with him as freely as that
gentleman does in his eplstle to
President Cleveland. Frederick
Douglass has for more than half a
century been prominent figure
in American politics, and has
reaped both honor and profit
therefrom. He is looked upon by
the republican leaders as the only
great Negro leaderin the country,
IN fact the Negro jumbo benefic-
larry. Now let US measure their
appreciation for him by the same
standard used by Senator Ingalls,
in presenting his merits to Presi.
dent Cleveland. During the con-
troversy between President Grant
and Charles Sumner relative to
the annexation OF San Domingo,
a Negro republic, to the United
States, Frederick Douglass sided
with President Grant as against
his life long friend, Charles Sums
ner and received as reward for
the desertion of one of his truest
and best friends the appointment
of scribe to a commission to visit
that Negro republic. Upon the
return of the commission from
San Domingo they were dined by
President Grant, but Mr.. Douglass
was not invited. Mr.. Hayes
when made President by the
grace of God and the Electorfl
Commission, nominated Mr..
Douglass for Marshal for the Dis
trict of Columbia; protests from
the Negro hating elements, dem
ocrats and republicans, against
his confirmation, exceeding any
thing in the Matthews case were
laid before the Senate and infu-
enced Mr.. Hay es to he extent Of
relieving Mr.. Douglass of certain
social duties at the White House,
heretofore performed by all his
predecessors. Later, President
Garfield asked Mr.. Douglass
resignation as Marshal and plac d
a friend of his from Ohio in the
position and complimented (?)
Mr.. Douglass by rendering, which
he accepted, the Inferior position
of Recorder of Deeds. If, as Sen
ator Ingalls, says in his letter to
President Cleveland, erred
erick Douglass is the most dis
tingulshed representative of the
colored race, not III this country
only, but in the world,' why did
the republican leaders named
place these indignities upon this
colored Moses; and why did the
republican Senators sit by and see
it done, without even entering a
protest against it.
While Frederick Douglass COM
mands respect from the colored
people for his ability and past SER
vices be is not, nor has he ever
been able to shape and control
the colored vote of the country.
Ia every hamlet throughout the
country Negroes can he found |
whose influence is far greater as ID
political force than that of Mr.. |
Douglass, to say nothing of such
leaders as Gov. Pinchback, Dr.. |
Derrick, Prof. J. NJ. Langston,
B. K. Bruce, Hon. J. II. Smyth,
j. Willis Menard, Geo. T. Down
ing, Prof. VIM. Howard Day, r.
Morris Chester, f. g. Barbados,
Mifiin Gibbs, and hundreds of
others. The undignitied fling at
MIR. Matthews Gas an unknown
and obscure partisan who has
never been a slave and therefore
the enfranchised race
only by the accident Of color" is
of emanating from the
highest legislative body in this
country and will fall far short of
is purpose of arraying the freed
men apainst their free born hratb-